Asia Cup: Bumrah, Pandya prove worth under pressure of India vs Pak

As is always the case in an India-Pakistan game, the stakes were high and the young duo came to the fore. With Ashish Nehra the only experienced pacer in the side, it was up to Bumrah and Pandya on a wicket that had a lot of grass on it.

“It was my first India-Pakistan game, so I was really excited but tried to treat it as a normal game,” said Bumrah during the innings break. “You feel less pressure and concentrate on the execution. We were focusing on the match,” he added.

In the context of the World T20, the duo’s performance is crucial. After their debut in Australia, both have lived up to expectations and delivered when called upon.

A revelation

While Bumrah has fitted in seamlessly in the pace attack, Pandya has been a revelation as a seaming all-rounder who can strike the ball hard from the start.

On more than one occasion, Bumrah has been asked to bowl in the death, while Pandya has been moved up the batting order quite a few times. Both have played their parts perfectly so far.

On Saturday, the requirement was different. A green wicket meant ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took a backseat and it was the pacers who needed to be at the forefront. Both Bumrah and Pandya combined well and seemed to follow a plan.

Their lack of experience was a worry, but the mature performance against Pakistan will go a long way in quelling reservations.